Funds drive for fire victims' family

A SERIES of fundraisers will be held this week to help the family of a young Cork mother and her nephew who died in a suspected arson attack.

On Saturday a special funeral tribute was paid to Helena O'Dwyer (25) by her heartbroken five-year-old daughter after she died trying to save her nephew Ryan (5) following the firebomb attack on her family home in Nutley Avenue in Mahon on Easter Sunday morning.

Courtney O'Dwyer laid the offertory gifts on the altar at her mother Helena's Requiem Mass. Many mourners wept as Courtney brought paintings, DVDs, toys and mementoes to the altar of the Church of the Holy Cross in Mahon as hundreds gathered to pay tribute to the mother-of-one Helena.

The Mass was celebrated by Fr Kazimierz Nawalaniec, who said the community had been left reeling by the events.

Cllr Chris O'Leary is helping to co-ordinate a series of fundraisers.

The proceeds from bingo at Mahon Community Centre will this week go toward the O'Dwyer family appeal fund at St Michael's Credit Union. It is also hoped a special concert will be held later this month.